The learning curve of doing art shows

Sunday, March 18, 2012

I have been enameling for about 3 years. It’s a difficult art because there are a lot of variables to learn. The first being the color that comes out after you fire your piece. Learning which colors do well and which ones burn out which is just a matter of time and practice using a lot of different colors. The other variable is learning about the kiln temperatures and time to leave your piece in the kiln. Since this is a learning curve, I don’t think about making masterpieces but playing around to discover what works and what doesn’t to become more proficient.

The 2 mediums that you can use to enamel are copper and fine silver. I took a forging/fold-forming class and thought it would be fun to make some shapes and bowls to enamel on. This way I can keep the enameling basic and let the shape of work be interesting/artful. Shockingly my first one turned out great (it’s always daunting when the first one works and your not sure if you will have as much success on the second).After shaping and cleaning, I put a clear glaze on the inside. I roughly cleaned off the firescale and fired the outside with a clear glaze as well. I love the patina that the copper takes on from the kiln. The shame of it is that you loose some of the depth of the patina when you refire. This is a picture of the first one I did with more pictures to follow. The next ones I will experiment with other colors of enamel on the outside using opaques and transparence.

I love taking a sheet of metal and creating a piece of art with your hands...

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

I took an ancient rings class in the hills of North Carolina. We learned the techniques that the master jewelers used thousands of years ago. This was one of the first rings ever designed. Each ring is unique in and of itself because no two come out the same, like finger prints and snow flakes. I have added a derivative by wrapping the ends of the fine silver wire on the same side versus wrapping the ends on either side. One of the galleries that I sell at has named these "Rose bud" rings because they resemble one.

A friend and fellow artist, Kris, makes these beautiful bracelets that make the a lovely sound when rolling on your wrist. A neighbor of mine, Bobbi (who has one of these bracelets) wanted to buy a bracelet for her daughter, Mackenzie. While she was visiting, we had a pow-wow about how she wanted the links shaped. For kicks she suggested a heart link which got Kris and my brain going creating the heart and the design of the bracelet.

I have been working with Argentium silver that is a more forgiving silver and doesn't need solder. You can fuse the two halves together with no solder residue. Easy peezy lemon cheezy, it came together beautifully. I went on making them in all different sizes, shapes, and gauges. What fun!

Monday, December 12, 2011

First time signing up and writing a blog and I think I already screwed up and put no spaces with my name. Oh Well, what are you going to do??? No I need to figure out how to get readers. I had my one and only show yesterday. I am continually learning, don't do shows where there isn't any foot traffic. It was held at a country club so I was hopeful as it is the season for perpetual hope. There were tons of vendors so that was good but NO buyers!!! If I do another show? it will be were people are already out and walking by. You never know when you might have a sale from happenstance. And those can be the best kind. i want my art to have a happy home. Good day to ya, suz

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About Me

With strong visual skills, vivid imagination, and innovative designs, Susan Steger offers the highest quality handmade jewelry, of the finest materials. She produces each piece from concept to finished product herself, with exceptional attention to detail.

Susan was a fine art major at The Ohio State University. Susan is a participating member at the Cultural Art Center in Columbus, Ohio where she developed her craft in the art of metalsmithing and enameling. She is a member of the Florida Society of Goldsmiths and regularly attends the Society’s Metalsmithing program, which features top artists from around the world.

Susan has studied under the guidance of Jean Stark of the Kulicke-Stark Academy of Jewelry Art in New York City and Parsons School of Design, where Susan acquired the skills to design her unique ancient rings and her granulation pieces. At the Cultural Arts Center, Susan has been under the guidance of Juanita Hill, Kristi Kloss, and Collen Baum. Jeweler and educator,John Cogswell, of the State University of New York, New Paltz helped cultivate her metal forging skills in the hills of North Carolina.One technique Susan uses is forging metal in which she fashions copper and sterling silver by hammering to give texture and shape. Her Grecian Boat Earrings are a product of this artistic method. The earrings are a modern design with the same aesthetics as those found in the tombs of Egypt.